Thieves posing as a bank official and police officer have conned a pensioner out of her life savings.

The Maldon woman, aged in her 80s, lost £14,000.

Sadly, she only realised she had fallen victim after reading last week’s Maldon and Burnham Standard story about how the con artists were targeting people in Maldon and Burnham.

The pensioner, who did not wish to be identified, said: “All my money has been taken and I do not know what to do.

“I don’t know how I will pay my bills.

“It was dreadful and was extremely upsetting. “I am still not feeling well and not eating at all well.”

A man calling himself Matthew Taylor called her shortly after midday last Tuesday, claiming to be from her bank in Maldon.

He claimed the Met Police had said there was a problem with her account.

She was asked to dial 999 and ask for Det Con Bailey at Charing Cross police station, but it was another fraudster, claiming two people with her bank details had been arrested of being involved in a fraud at her bank branch.

He asked her to withdraw all her money to be checked for fingerprints but to go to a Chelmsford branch to avoid arousing suspicion.

’Bailey’ also promised to repay her for the £40 taxi journey and asked her to wrap the money in a box for a courier to collect at 5pm.

The pensioner said: “I am not senile, I’ve got all my marbles and I had not heard about this sort of fraud.

“I dread to think what would have happened if an older or frailer person had been tricked in this way.

“They might panic and might not be able to cope with it.

“The criminals who are carrying out this sort of fraud are evil people.“